Jerry Mays

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Jerry Mays (1939–July 17, 1994) was a football player who starred collegiately for Southern Methodist University before becoming a standout at the professional level for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mays put together an all-state career at Sunset High School before heading to SMU, where he served as co-captain and earned All-Southwest Conference honors at defensive tackle.

A fifth round draft selection of the American Football League's Dallas Texans in 1961, Mays turned down the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings, in order to play near his home in Dallas. He soon became a force at end on the Texans' line, continuing his dominance defensive tackle when the team relocated in 1963 to become the Kansas City Chiefs.

Combining emotion and durability with a competitive nature, Mays was a six-time AFL All-Star, and was twice selected to the All-Star team at two different positions. He played in 126 straight games for the AFL Texans and Chiefs, and used his speed, agility and strong "second effort" to once recover and return a Jets' fumble 58 yards for a touchdown. His contribution to the Chiefs' strong defense helped them defeat the Vikings, 23-7, in Super Bowl IV

Mays was named to the All-time All-AFL Team in 1970 and announced his retirement after that season. He then returned to Dallas to work for a construction company owned by his father, Avery. He died of lung cancer in 1994, two years after the death (from the same disease) of his former teammate, Buck Buchanan.